Spherical building structure with curved beams



April 4, 1961 c. J. SCHMIDT 2,978,074

SPHERICAL BUILDING STRUCTURE WITH CURVED BEAMs Filed March l5, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 u, INVENTjoR. N CLARENCE `1Samu/m91*- www ATTORNEY V2,978,074 Y f SPHERICAL BUILDING STRUCTURE WITH CURVED BEAMS Clarence Il. Schmidt, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Y Filed Mar. 1'3, 1959, Ser. No. 799,152

8 Claims. (Cl. 189-2) This invention relates to spherical building structures or enclosures and more particularly to building structures of partially spherical shape adapted to provide protection from the weather.

In housing apparatus such as radar equipment itis desirable to protect the sweeping mechanism by a shelter which will permit transmission and reception of signals uniformly in any direction and dome-shaped enclosures of spherical form have been found desirable for this purpose.

The Vpresent invention has for its principal object to provide a spherical enclosure Y of simple construction 2,978,074 Patented Apr. 4, 1961 ice least number of different lengths of frame members and different shapes and sizes of panel members, the beams yare arranged `and located in the following manner: Within the sphere 1 a pentagonal dodecahedron may be inscribed with its twenty points tangent to the sphere. The dodecahedron has twelve pentagonal equal faces k8 each face being a regular pentagon with live equal sides and live equal included angles 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, the

l center of the pentagon beingat 8o. Each of these pen- Y land 9e and the center thereof by 9o.

which will effectively house radar apparatus without substantially decreasing its eiiiciency. f Another object is to provide a spherical building structure in which curved beams of uniform curvature throughout the structure are employed to support weather protecting panels of sheet material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel joint structure between `adjacentends of the beams.

These and other objects will appear from the following descriptionand the accompanying drawings forming -a part hereof.

In the drawings: f Fig. 1 is a side elevation of ya spherical structure constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, portions of the covering beingbroken away to l disclose the framework.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a pentagonal face of a dodecahedron illustrating the arrangement of the frame members in one of the equal spherical pentagonal areas of my structure.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of aspherical triangular wall member of the structure of Fig. l, portions being broken away and portions shown'as exploded therefrom to illustrate its construction.

Fig. 4 is a detaiiseerional 'view taken im lmet-4' oi Fig. 1 showing the anchorage.

Fig. 5 is a viewlike Fig. 3 but illustratinga modification of the invention utilizing but a single cover sheet for the entire triangular area. 'i

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates k Atagons may be subdivided as shown in Fig. 2 into five equal isosceles triangles each having as its base a side of the pentagon and its apex at the center 8o. Now if the dodecahedron with its subdivided faces be projected radially outward onto the sphere or exploded thereonto, a process in which each line and point of the polygonal form is projected radially outwardly of the center of the sphere along radii thereof, lines and points will be established on the sphere defining sixty exactly equal spherical triangles. In Fig. 1, one of these equal spherical pentagons 9 is defined by the live points 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d As the points were originally at the surface of the sphere and were connected by equal chords they are spherically equidistant andfconnected by equal arcs. It will be apparent that the spherical triangles are equal or congruous. Now the triangles such as triangle 9a--9b-9o may be further subdivided into triangles. For example, the arc 9a-9b may be bisected to provide a point 10, agreat circle arc may be drawn through points '9o and 10 and a great circle p passed throughthe midpoint of that line perpendicular to that line and intersecting lines 9a--90 and 9b--9o at points 11 and 12 respectively. Great circle arcs m-ay then be drawn from point 10 to 11 and from point 10 to 12. The lines 10-11, 11-12, and 10-12 will divide the triangle 9a-9b-9o into four triangles 13, 14, 15 and 16 of which 13 and 15 will be exactly alike and 14 and 16 will be different from 13 and 15 and will be mirror images of each other. ,y The other spherical i'sosceles tri-angles may be subdivided in a similar manner to define the positions of the beams 5 and the shapes and sizes of the covering panels. Referring to Fig. 3, this shows the spherical isosceles triangular enclosure areas 9a-9b--9o in more detail, part of the panel 13 being broken away and panel 16 v shown in exploded position. At the margins of the spherical enclosure area curved beams 17, 18,19, 20, 21 and 22 extend along the lines 9a--10, 10-9b, 9b-12, 12%90, 90-11 and 11-9a. Other similar beams 23, 2 4 and 25 extend from 11 to 10, 10 -to 12 and 12 to 11 respectively, valong the lines heretofore determined.

a spherical enclosure comprising a reticulated framework but also bodies which could be describedas cut from a sphere. n

The frame comprises a multiplicity of beams 5 each curved to the curvature of a 4great circle of the sphere and connected together at their ends by connection members `6`each of whichconnects a multiplicity of the beams. `As

the structure is not a complete sphere but is truncated or cut olf at the base or foundation 4, some of the beams terminate at the foundation in anchorage means 7.

In. order to simplify the construction and provide the The ends of these lbeams'are secured in spool-like connecting elements 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. and 31. The beams may beof I-beam, channel or tubular cross section but as illustrated are of I-section. The spools each have a circumferential channel 32 equal in width to the beam depth and ilanked by a pair of end flanges 33, 34` for embracing the beams. The beams may be secured iat their ends between the anges by riveting, bolting, or Welding their ends thereto.

The panels, such as 16,'may be of `any desired sheet material but are preferably of sheet metal or plastic depending on the nal use desired. Each panel corresponds in shape to the triangular geometric area except that the points thereof are cut away as at 35, 36 and 37 to clear the flanges of the spool connectors.

Sealing strips 38, 39, 40 of plastic material or the like may be adhered over theseams betweenpanels. i Where the structure is "not a complete sphere but'is a segment thereof as in Fig. 1, the lowermost course of panels will be trimmed off to clear the foundation. Also the lowermost beams will be cut off at the plane Of the foundation and will be secured to anchorage members 41 as in `1ig..4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5, this is a modification of the'triangular panel 9a--9b-90 of fFig. 3, and hence 4like parts have'been Vgiven like numerals. .In Fig.` 5, however, rstraight beams 23a, 24a and 25a having -their'outersurfaces ush at their ends with the ,adjoining curved beams replace the curved beams 23, 24 and 25 defining the inscribed triangle of Fig. 3, and a single sheet or panel 42 is used in place of separate panels 13, 14, 1S and 16 of Fig. 3. The advantage of the structure of Fig. 5 is that the center area 15a of the panel 42 engaging with .beams 23a, 24a and 25a can be and is at, and the corner areas 14a, 16a and 13a of vpanel 42 can be bent down on the curved beams underneath these corner areas, the bend or bends in the corner areas being about the parallel shade lines shown on the corner areas on Fig. 5. In other words, any necessity for compound curvature of the panel is eliminated in the structure described. In Fig. 3 the small panels 13, 14, 15 and 16 must be compoundly curved, and if the panels are small enough and flexible enough and the curves flat enough no particular problem results from using flat sheet material for the panels, and effecting Athe compound curving as the panels are pulled into place by their fastening means. But it still may be desirable to preform the panels to the proper compound c-urve in order to insure the best fit. Any necessity to preform even the relatively large panel ,42 is eliminated in the structure of Fig. 5.

The panels may be secured to the frame by screws, rivets, cement or other convenient means.

The invention provides a substantially Spherical enfV closure having Ia minimum number of different shapes and sizes of construction units which may be assembled by relatively unskilled workers. The structure is relatively light in weight and has great strength.

Thus it will be seen that Vthe objects of the invention have'been attained. y

While a certain representative embodiment and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: Y

l. An enclosure of substantially spherical shape including curved beams lying substantially on the surface of the sphere andv arranged in triangular relation to each other, straight beams inscribing a triangle inside the curved beams arranged in triangular relation to each other with their outer surfaces at the ends thereof ush with the outer' surfaces of the curved beams, and a panel having a flat triangular center portion joined Yto the straight beams and triangular corners each bent on -av simple curve down against the curved beams so that the panel covers the entirearea formed by the curved beams in triangular relation to each other. A v

2. A spherical enclosurecomprising curved beams arranged to lprovide a yreticulated'framework defining substantially uniform triangular spaces therethrough, spherical triangular panelsmounted over said spaces with their margins extending along and overlying said beams, and one-piece spool-like connecters securing the beams to one another, said spool-like connecters each having an annular groove receivingand V`securing ends of the beamsand a pair of ,disc-likel anges for overlying and underlying the beam-5.* t

3. A spherical `enclosure comprising a frame having frame elements ,arranged to correspond in position with lines of a peutagonfl, flQii'hedrou radially projected on a spherical surface and subdivided into substantially equal spherical isosceles triangles, said frame elements comprising onepiece lspoolflike connecting .elements located at angles of said triangles, said spool-like connecting elements each comprising a neck portion and a pair of spaced disc portions at the opposite ends thereof defining an annular groove therebetween, and curved beams extending along said lines with their ends secured to said spool-like connections between said disc portions, and spherically curved panels extending over said beams.

4. A spherical enclosure' comprising a multiplicity of spool-like connecting elements arranged about a common point equidistant therefrom with their axes radiating from said point, each spool-like element comprising a one-piece annularly groovedb'ody Ahaving spaced end flanges, and convexly curved beams extending from one spool-like element to another with their ends secured in said grooves between said angesl providing a reticulated framework, and spherically curved panel members mounted about said framework.

5. A spherical enclosure comprising a multiplicity of one-.piece spool-like connecting elements arranged equidistantly from a common point with their axes radiating from-the point and at equal angular spacing from one another about the point, each spool-like connecting element comprising a neck portion and spaced discs at the ends thereof, vbeams each curved convexly and extending from one spool-like connector to another with their ends Secured between said discs providing a reticulated frame- .Workf .spherical shape and spherical panel members overlying said framework.

6. A spherical enclosure comprising a multiplicity of one-piece spool-like connecting elements arranged equidistantly from a common point with their axes radiating fromthepoint and atequal angular spacing from one another about the point, to define points corresponding to thefcorners of twelve pentagons of a spherical pentagonal body and similarl elements defining the corners of ve isoscelesjtriangles of equal size and shape resulting from subdivision of .the pentagons, said spool-like connecting elements each comprising a neck portion and terminal disc portions, beams each curved convexly and extending from one spool-like connector to another with their ends secured between said disc portions providing a reticulated framewgrk Qf spherical Shape .and Spherical panel members overlyingfsaid framework.

7. A spherical enclosure comprising a multiplicity of one-piece spool-like connecting elements arranged equidistantly frorntheA center of the enclosure with their axes radiating therefrom to dene points at the corners of equal spherical iso'sceles triangles uniformly dividing the spherical surface, each spool-like connecting element cornprisinga neck portion and terminal disc portions, curved beamsextending from one connecting element to another along lines deiining said trianglesV with their ends secured between'said' discs, other curved beams connecting the first said beams .to define a reticulated framework, and spheric'all'yl 'c'u'vedpanels'overlyin'g said beams in abutting relation -andtclosing openings between thebeams.

, A8.""The "combiriatitm Ain a substantially spherical enclosure,a a plurality of curved beams lying substantially in the vsurface of the sphere, said beams dening a plurality o'fy relatively large triangles, straight beams inscribing a Vsmall tillgl `iil'ealch of said large triangles, a triangular panel of IsheetI material of a shape to cover the large triangle, the center of the panel over the small triangle being dat yandsecnre'clto the straight beams, each of the corners of ,the'panel'being bent down in a smooth curve and securdlitothe curved beams to complete the covering of 'the large triangle.

References ,Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES VPATENTS 

